Remember Me As A Time Of Day
by thatgirl93
Summary: In this one-shot, Lucas is struggling to move on. Can Peyton help him? [an alternate ending to 6x24] SPOILERS! I do not own anything from One Tree Hill (sadly)


"You know, you keep letting these root beer floats go to waste, I'm gonna have to start drinking them", Lucas gave a breathy chuckle as he made a fourth root beer float, Peyton laid motionless in her hospital bed. "Kidding. They'll be here when you wake up", he paused as he stared into space for a moment, sighing. "You know who else will be here when you wake up, is our beautiful daughter. She's-", he stopped midsentence, a grin beginning to form as he thought about his daughter and gave a small breathy laugh. "You should see her, she's amazing, Peyton. But, she needs you", he said, looking upon his unconscious wife. "So do I. C'mon, you promised", continued, his eyes beginning to rim with tears as all attempts at some sort of reaction failed. "You promised", he said once more, in almost a whisper as he ran his fingers through his stubbly beard. Looking around the room at all the gifts and balloons of 'congratulations' and 'get well soon' their family and friends had left her. After sitting silently with her for a few hours, praying for some sort of miracle, Lucas sat forward in his seat as he took Peyton's hand within his own. "You know, I'm in a little over my head here. I took her home and I'm doing what I can but- she needs her mom. _I_ need her mom", he admitted, a lost look on his face as he stared at her closed eyes. "She doesn't even have a name, I- we were supposed to do that together", he said, kissing her hand, his tears beginning to fall freely. "I can't do this without you. And I'm just afraid that we're gonna lose you and it's just gonna be the two of us", he became silent, opening his mouth to try and find the words to continue to speak but they wouldn't come as his tears became more aggressive. "She doesn't even have a name", he repeated as he allowed his head to drop on the top of her hands. All of a sudden, Peyton's heart monitor began to wail as her ECG began to flat line. "Peyton?" he said as he looked up. "Peyton!" he screamed. He shot up out of his seat and rushed to the door. "Somebody help! Quick! Please!", he cried down the hallway.

"Luke?", Brooke rushed towards him. "Wha- what's going on?", She asked in a panic. Lucas ignored her as he focused on the crash team that were running towards them. Lucas and Brooke followed them back into Peyton's room.

"Mr Scott, we're going to have to ask you and your friend to stand outside", a doctor tried to usher the pair out of the room. As a bewildered Brooke left without much of a fight, Lucas fought back, shrugging the doctor's gentle hand from his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving her! I promised I'd be there for her!" he told him. Lucas continued to watch on as the doctors did everything they could to save Peyton when they shared a sudden glance that seemed to make everything go in slow motion.

"Time of death, 3:42PM", one of the doctors announced.

"No", Lucas said.

"I'm very sorry, Mr Scott", the doctor said.

"No. You can't just stop trying! You have to save her. You have to!", he fought, violent tears streaming down his face.

"There's nothing more we can do, Mr Scott. I truly am sorry", the doctor said sadly, giving his team a quick glance as the group of doctors slowly left the room.

"You can have as much time with her as you like", a nurse said, placing a caring hand on his shoulder before being the last to leave the room. Lucas's knees crashed to the floor, running his fingers helplessly through his hair as he bawled. From the floor, he crawled over to the seat he was sat just moments before, taking her hand within his own once more.

"You promised me, Peyton Scott. You promised", he sobbed, his heart ached as he reached up to kiss her one final time.

A week later, Peyton Scott's funeral was a sad day for many in Tree Hill. Peyton had a deep-red coffin that stood proud in the graveyard as her friends and family came to say their final goodbyes. Her father shuddered with grief as he placed one hand on top of the coffin. Haley sobbed as she wrapped a small pink flower around the handle of the casket, Nathan's arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as he shed a tear himself. Skills placed a Public Enemy album on the top as he gave a sad sigh. "I was always rooting for you, P. Sawyer", he said quietly. Mia got up and sang Hallelujah, dedicating it to her, before, finally, Brooke got up to give her eulogy, as requested by Lucas.

"On Peyton's wedding day, I told her I'd disown her if she went _anywhere_ without my permission", she sighed as she looked at the box that carried her best friend. "I only said that cos- because I really, _really_ believed that she wouldn't go anywhere. Peyton Scott nee Sawyer, was a better person than all of us. She was kind, thoughtful, warm, strong, beautiful-", Brooke stopped as her eyes began to rim with tears. "And she wasn't afraid to tell you when you were being an ass!", the crowd gave a soft chuckle. Brooke took a deep breath for a moment before looking at Lucas, who stood at the front of the crowd, his hands clasped together tightly as he looked down at the floor, his mother's arm looped in his. "As sad as we all feel today- Larry Sawyer lost his daughter, Derek lost a sister, I lost my best friend- and that _hurts_ like hell. But my heart aches even more when I think about the love of her life- Lucas Scott". Lucas suddenly looked up at her. "You made her so, so happy, Luke. You gave her the life she always wanted. The love she always talked about when we were kids- _you_ gave her that. And I am so sorry that this day is happening. I'm so sorry that she's not here", Brooke began to sob. Julian began to make his way through the crowd, heading towards Brooke as she immediately took his hand. Brooke stepped down, approaching Peyton's coffin as she placed a picture of she and Peyton from when they were younger carefully underneath the Public Enemy album. "I love you, P. Sawyer", she said quietly as she allowed Julian to usher her back into the crowd. As the ceremony continued and it was finally time to lay Peyton to rest, it was also time for Lucas's eulogy. As Lucas stood before his wife's coffin, he looked around at all their loved ones. He saw the sympathy in his mother's eyes as she tried with everything she had not to cry. He saw Brooke sobbing heavily into Julian's shirt, who held on to her tightly. He saw Derek stood tall in his Marine Blues, Medals and Cap. Lucas cleared his throat as he prepared to speak.

"When we found out about Peyton's condition, the first thing I wanted to do was end everything. The thought of losing her was just too much that I- I couldn't think about anything else. If someone had told me that our wedding day would be the last time I'd get to hold her, hear her speak, feel her touch, I never would have wasted so much time", he said as he began to cry. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer is the love of my life. And I can only thank her for giving me the greatest love anyone could ask for, and our beautiful daughter. And when that day comes when I look into my little girl's beautiful green eyes and she asks me what happened to her mom- I'll tell her that her mom loved her so, _so_ much, that she was happy to leave this world to make a little extra room for her, and to look down on her and protect her for the rest of her life", he sobbed, placing a hand on top of her coffin. "I will never stop being in love with you, pretty girl. I'm sorry I couldn't save you this time", he spoke softly.

X

Three years passed and Lucas was still coaching for the Ravens, with the help of Skills when he was busy being a single father to his three-year-old daughter, Anna. One Saturday evening, Lucas sat in Tric alongside Nathan and his agent, Clay, as he enjoyed a drink, seeing as Haley had offered to take care of Anna for the weekend due to it being the third anniversary of Peyton's funeral. The men had been talking about sports when the school's new English teacher, Darcie, bumped into them.

"Oh, hey Luke", her smile beamed. "Hi, guys".

"Hey, Darcie", Lucas smiled back at her. "What are you doing here?", he asked.

"Oh, I'm just meeting with some friends before we catch a movie", she told him. "Are we still on for that basketball game next week?", she asked.

"Sure", he grinned.

"Awesome! I can't wait. Well, I better get going. See you later", she smiled sweetly, gently touching Lucas's wrist before leaving. There was a small pause as she left.

"It's okay to like her, you know, man?", Nathan said.

"Yeah, I mean, look at me and Quinn", Clay smiled. Lucas only sighed as he finished his drink in one final gulp.

"We're just friends", Lucas insisted.

"Friends don't take friends on numerous dates", Clay smirked.

"I haven't taken her on a date", Lucas fought.

"Oh, c'mon, Luke! The first week she started working at the school you took her to a concert!", Clay fought back.

"Then there was bowling the week after", Nathan added.

"And the picnic", Clay continued.

"And we can't forget dinner last week", Nathan continued to add on.

"And now basketball", Clay concluded.

"So? I've done all that stuff with you guys and we're not dating are we!", Lucas snapped.

"I don't recall you ever taking me on a picnic", Clay pulled a sad face. Lucas sighed.

"We're just friends. It's too soon anyway", he told them.

"It's been three years, man", Nathan sighed. Lucas stepped down from his barstool as he put his jacket on.

"You guys suck, you know that?", he said before leaving, ignoring them as they called after him. Lucas arrived home to an unusually quiet living room. Anna's toys were strewn across the floor. Lucas had decided there was no point in putting them away only for them to be there again on Monday. He glanced at the framed photo he had on the small wooden table that stood in the corner. In the picture he had his arm wrapped tightly around his little girl as she giggled. Her big eyes green and her hair blonde and curly like her mother's. Next to that picture was another, this one was of Peyton and Lucas on their wedding day. Lucas picked it up, taking it to the sofa with him as he sat down to admire it.

"Wow. You're really unattractive when you're pouty", a voice said. He gave a breathy chuckle as he looked beside him to see Peyton perched on the couch arm. "Hey, baby", she said. He only continued to smile at her as she looked at him. "Talk to me, Luke", she said.

"I- I don't know what to say", he told her. She suddenly got up off of the couch arm and sat beside him.

"Well, let's start with Darcie shall we?", she suggested. Lucas gave another breathy laugh. "Nathan's right, you know? It _is_ okay to like her".

"No it's not. Who says I like her anyway! Not when I still love you", he said honestly. Peyton sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair, sighing once more as she looked lovingly at him.

"Luke. Liking someone else doesn't mean you don't love me anymore. I said I wanted you to move on", she told him.

"What if I don't want to?", he asked, taking her hands and holding them tight within his own as his eyes became glossy. Peyton smiled softly at him.

"One day you're going to have to, Lucas", she told him. At her words, Lucas let go of her hands as he got up and began to pace around the room.

"W- what are you even doing here? Have I lost my mind?", he asked. Peyton chuckled.

"Maybe you're dreaming. Dreams are emails for ghosts you know", she winked. Lucas gave a breathy chuckle. "I'm here to save _you_ for a change", she stayed seated as she watched him pace around the living room. He began to run his fingers through his hair. "She's pretty, Luke", she suddenly said. Lucas looked back at her to see her going through his phone. She looked at a picture of him and Darcie when they went bowling. She had long brown hair, her eyes big and hazel, and she smiled brightly as Lucas wrapped his arm around her shoulders, smiling just as bright.

"That doesn't matter", he said, taking his phone from her.

"You need to let her in", she told him. Lucas ignored her as he stared blankly at the phone in his hand. Peyton got up and began to wander the room, picking up the framed photo of Lucas and Anna. "God, she's so beautiful", she said in awe at the picture of her daughter.

"She looks like her mom", Lucas sighed lovingly. "She's got the same attitude as her too", he joked. Peyton smiled weakly as she put the picture back in its rightful place and began to wander the room before stopping in front of the couch.

"I watch you guys a lot, you know?", she said suddenly. Lucas shook his head. "Just last week, you were both sat on the couch watching some dumb show. Anna was sat in your lap sucking on a pacifier and you were playing with her hair", Peyton smiled softly as she recalled the memory, slowly beginning to furrow her brow. "But, there was an empty space beside you, so I sat down next to you and I- I pretended that I was there with you, for real". She gave a breathy chuckle, "And- it was like you knew I was there because you grabbed a blanket and covered yourselves with it", she said sadly. Lucas didn't say a word as he looked down at his feet. "That space is meant for someone, Luke. You're gonna need someone eventually. And Anna's gonna need a bigger female influence in her life", she told him.

"She has Brooke and Haley, she doesn't need anyone else", Lucas fought as he sat back down on the couch. Peyton sighed as she joined him.

"You know that's not what I meant", Peyton fought back. Lucas refused to look at her as she placed a caring hand on his knee. "Sure, Brooke can talk to her about makeup and clothes, and Haley can teach her about music and help her with school, but, she's gonna need someone to talk to other than them eventually, Luke", she told him. Lucas finally looked up at her, his eyes rimmed with tears. "She's gonna need someone to talk to when her body starts to change and it freaks her out. She's gonna need someone to talk her through her first friend fight when it feels like it'll never get better. She's gonna need someone to be there when she falls in love for the first time. And when she gets her heart broken for the first time. She's gonna need a mom, Lucas", she finished. Lucas was sobbing softly as Peyton lifted his chin up to look at her, wiping away his tears. "I have every faith that you can do _all_ of that stuff for her, but there's just some stuff that a girl needs her mom for. You know that I know what it's like to not have that". Lucas nodded as he looked deep into Peyton's eyes.

"I wanted you to be that for her. I pictured you waking up and we'd take her home. And you'd be _so_ happy. And I would never allow it, but you would find it in your beautiful heart to even let Dan meet our wonderful girl. And then maybe we'd leave Tree Hill. Go somewhere you've always wanted to go. Maybe travel with my mom and Andy. And our lives would be perfect", he admitted.

"Your lives can _still_ be perfect, Luke. You just have to let her in", she said, as his phone began to buzz. He looked down to see it was Darcie calling. He sighed as he ignored the call, putting the phone back in his pocket. Peyton ignored his actions as she got up and began to wander the room once more. "Anna. It's beautiful, Luke", she said suddenly.

"I knew that if we had a girl, you'd want me to name her after your mom", he gave a breathy laugh.

"You should let Darcie meet her. After five dates I think it's time she should meet your daughter", she chuckled softly.

" _Our_ daughter", he corrected her. She smiled warmly as she sat back down beside him. Someone suddenly began to knock at the door.

"It's her", she told him. Lucas looked at her sadly for a moment, hesitantly placing the palm of his hand against her cheek. She was cold, and her touch took his breath away. "I have to go", she whispered. Lucas allowed his forehead to rest against hers as he fought back his tears.

"I don't want you to", he whispered back as she cupped his face in her cold hands.

"I have to, because you know you have to answer the door. And you've got to let her in. Let her into your heart, Lucas. It's too good not to be shared", she told him, holding his hand tight within her own. Lucas looked deep into her eyes, his own rimmed with tears, as were hers. He nodded hesitantly, sniffing as he ran his fingers through her wavy blonde hair. Peyton kissed him hard on the forehead before she stood up, his hand still in hers.

"Please, don't leave", Lucas attempted to beg one more time. Peyton sighed as she smiled softly at him.

"People always leave, Luke. You know that", she told him. Lucas sighed as the pair slowly parted hands and Peyton began to make her way towards the back door. She stopped right in front of it, turning to face him one last time. "And, by the way? I love that you fixed the Comet for me. Take it on a new adventure, okay?", she said. Lucas nodded. "Now go and answer the door". Lucas stood up from his seat and made his way towards the front door, taking one last look at Peyton before answering it.

"Hey", Darcie smiled softly, "I hope you don't mind me showing up like this. I- I was worried", she told him. Lucas looked behind him to see if Peyton was still there, but she was gone.

"Come in", he said, stepping aside to let her in and closing the door behind her.

"Can I talk to you?", she asked, as she stood awkwardly behind the couch. Lucas nodded as he gestured for her to sit. "I know my timings awful. I know what today is", she told him. "I just- I really like you, Luke. I know we've only known each other a couple of months but I've just got this feeling, you know?", she told him. She sighed as Lucas didn't reply. "Or maybe you don't", she said. "Look, I'm not stupid- I've read your book. And even if I hadn't; I don't need to read a book to guess how much you love your wife and the mother of your child and I can't imagine how hard these past three years must have been for you. But I _have_ read the book, and something tells me Peyton would want you to be happy", she explained. "And I don't mean you should be happy with _me_ \- not if you don't want to. I just mean-", she stopped as she sighed. "You have these moments when you're really outgoing, funny, sweet and you seem on top of the world, and then in the blink of an eye you have this lost look on your face. Like, you're doing something wrong or your heart just isn't in it. So I guess, I just wanna know whether I'm wasting my time or not here. I know how awful that sounds and I'm so sorry but I just-", as if out of nowhere, Lucas suddenly stopped her with a kiss. They slowly parted lips as Darcie remained the same- her lips pouted with her eyes closed as if she had been put on pause, before her eyelids began to flicker. "Wh- what was that for?", she asked breathlessly.

"I _do_ like you. It's just difficult because there hasn't been anyone since Peyton- I'm sorry. I know I've been really weird, and I'm amazed that you even went out of your way to come here tonight. But, something's screaming at me that- that maybe it's time to let someone in", he told her, Peyton's words echoing in his head.

"You haven't been weird, Luke. You've been grieving and I get that. But, I wanna help you in any way that I can- whether we're just friends or something more", she smiled warmly at him as she placed a loving hand on his knee. Lucas looked down at her hand on him as he smiled warmly himself.

"Would- would you like to meet Anna on Monday?", he suddenly asked.

"I'd love to", she smiled brightly before Lucas leaned in to kiss her once more.


End file.
